Road safety has been ringing alarms since a very long time now. Especially, the huge commercial trucks are the biggest concerns here, which can weigh over 80,000 pounds. Needless to say, a collision with such vehicle is often fatal which leads to a grave concern for all these trucks as well as the vehicles that share the road with them.
There are a wide array of reasons regarding why these accidents take place. There could be mechanical failures, bad weather conditions, improper maintenance, driver errors and broken roads. It is thus imperative, in fact, vital to follow the federal laws and regulations, take care of the traffic rules and the right procedures.
What Are Blind Spots And How Do They Affect A Truck’s Visibility?
Another important aspect which remains a much talked about topic and a primary reason behind these unfortunate accidents is the vehicle’s visibility issue which emerges out of their blind spots. Before understanding how you can improve a truck’s visibility, it is essential to know what is driving visibility and a truck’s blind spots.
According to the Wikipedia, a blind spot in a vehicle is an area around the vehicle that cannot be directly observed by the driver while at the controls, under existing circumstances. The truck has some blind spots which can mislead about an area to be clear/free or not detect an approaching vehicle. A truck is too huge anyway, so it cannot see a car which is immediately behind it. This is why it is always recommended to avoid tailgating.
A truck’s blind spots are located at the front, rear and along the sides of the truck. This directly implies, if any vehicle lies or pass through these blind spots of a truck, they wouldn’t be visible to the truck driver. This may result in an unfortunate accident. So, the efforts should be clearly directed towards taking care of a truck’s blind spots to enhance a driver’s visibility.
Improving The Truck’s Visibility To The Maximum
Since inappropriate visibility is a primary reason behind most truck accidents, it is crucial to in a bad lighting its visibility. To enhance the truck’s visibility to the maximum, it is critical that the truck has the right accessories and devices installed in it.
Handy Tips To Adjust The Mirrors
The most essential accessory, a mirror, is a life-saving accessory for a truck or in fact, all the vehicles alike.
They should be fitted accurately, and the placement should be correct as well.
1. Make sure that the side mirrors allow the driver to see the most of the lanes on both sides of the truck along with the sides of the trailer and cab’s edge.
2. Arriving at hood mirrors, they should be adjusted when the driver is behind the steering wheel.
3. Moreover, make sure you do away with all ill-fitted or loose mirrors and constantly clean the dirty and smudged ones.
Time To Reflect Properly On The Reflectors
Most accidents and collisions of the big trucks occur at night or due to bad weather conditions because of low visibility. Reflectors play an essential role here.
– A truck should be equipped with reflectors on the sides and also at the back.
– The rightly placed mirrors can contribute significantly towards improving a truck’s visibility.
Headlights – Ray Of Hope In Poor Lighting Conditions
Headlights are the life savers. Similar to other vehicles, these ensure visibility in poor lighting and a proper view of traffic signs, speed breakers, bumpers, and potholes etc.
– LED lights are quite popular today, though there are several other options.
– These lights do not drain the power from a battery.
– LED tail lights are also available.
– Make sure the headlights are regularly cleaned and immediately repaired if they are damaged.
Moreover, keeping in mind the visibility issues and its fatal consequences, many other advanced technologies have been invented to ensure the least accidents. For instance, lane changing support system in Volvo trucks can detect vehicles in the blind spot on the passenger’s side. Back-up cameras are another great addition to improve visibility in trucks. In newer trucks like the GMC Sierra, this camera comes pre-installed. Though these pointers will guide you to improve a truck’s visibility; there are other factors too that may result in a collision.
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